Health minister Rosie Winterton hears of vital role for DOs

Negotiators for the optical profession, led by ABDO president James Russell, met health minister Rosie Winterton this week to discuss the important and expanding role of dispensing opticians under the GOS review.

The meeting comes on the back of the Bosanquet Report, which set out clearly the expanded role dispensing opticians could play under a reformed primary ophthalmic services system, and highlighting the excellence of existing practice and skills, along with opportunities for the future.

The negotiators, including ABDO's Tony Garrett, the AOP's Bob Hughes and FODO's David Hewlett, emphasised that there was a gap in the current regulation under which optometrists are listed as 'performers' (currently assistants) on PCT lists, but not dispensing opticians.